Dear Medical College of Georgia Friends,
Wellstar Children’s Hospital of Georgia lobby named in honor of MCG legend, Dr. Charlie Howell
Last week brought an opportunity to celebrate a true MCG icon – Dr. Charles G. Howell Jr., Class of 1973, whose legacy in pediatric surgery spans decades and thousands of lives. Dr. Howell has performed more than 16,000 surgeries on children throughout his remarkable career, often saving lives others thought couldn’t be saved. His deep compassion has resulted in lasting and personal relationships with families of children he’s helped save.
His impact goes far beyond the operating room. Dr. Howell helped establish pediatric surgery subspecialty clinics in some of Georgia’s most underserved areas, ensuring that children across the state had access to the care they needed, regardless of where they lived. Needless to say, he is a beloved figure both here and across Georgia.
Without Dr. Howell’s leadership there may not have ever been WCHOG as we know it today
He was also instrumental, alongside MCG President Emeritus Dr. Francis Tedesco, in the creation of our what is now Wellstar Children’s Hospital of Georgia – which was once relegated to a handful of beds in the adult hospital. What began as a passing comment in 1988, after a successful surgery on a young girl from nearby Jenkins County, quickly gained momentum thanks to a connection to Georgia’s political leadership. By 1998, the standalone hospital – the only children’s hospital outside of Atlanta – opened its doors, and just last week, its lobby was named in Dr. Howell’s honor. What a fitting tribute, particularly since that is often the first place families enter when seeking hope and healing.
And he’s still at it. Dr. Howell continues to work tirelessly to strengthen MCG’s relationship with Wellstar and raise funds for some of our most impactful causes. After all, when Charlie Howell asks, people listen, and they almost always say yes. True to his trademark humble nature, Dr. Howell was incredibly surprised and touched. I hope he knows how grateful we are for his vision, his leadership, and his unwavering commitment to the people we serve. Thank you seems inadequate.
Dr. Phillip Coule, another MCG leader, elected as 2nd vice president of the Medical Association of GA
Like Dr. Howell, Dr. Phillip Coule, a 1996 graduate of MCG, is a respected leader at his alma mater. Currently serving as chief medical officer at Wellstar MCG Health, Dr. Coule was recently elected second vice president of the Medical Association of Georgia, a well-deserved recognition of his longstanding commitment to advancing medicine in our state.
Throughout his career, Dr. Coule has helped train the next generation of physicians and played a pivotal role in positioning MCG as a national and international leader in disaster medicine. His election is a win for organized medicine in Georgia.
Dr. Coule joins a proud tradition of MCG-trained physicians who have served in leadership roles at MAG, advocating for the profession and shaping the future of health care policy. No doubt that his expertise in clinical care, medical education, and health system leadership, will lend a powerful voice to advocacy efforts on behalf of Georgia’s physicians. We’re proud to see another one of our own stepping into this influential role and continuing to shape the future of health care across the state.
Congratulations Dr. Coule. We know you will continue to represent us well.
First Ignite grant from the Immunology Center of Georgia awarded to Dr. Gang Zhou
That same spirit of leadership is certainly evident in the work of the Immunology Center of Georgia (IMMCG), which recently received its first grant through the Ignite program. This initiative, established by IMMCG co-directors Drs. Lynn Hedrick and Klaus Ley, was created to support translational research and foster collaboration between faculty and trainees. The inaugural award will support work led by Dr. Gang Zhou, head of the Georgia Cancer Center’s Cancer Immunology, Inflammation, & Tolerance Program; Dr. Huidong Shi, an affiliated faculty member with IMMCG; and Dr. Ogacheko Okoko, a very recent graduate of AU’s Molecular Oncology & Immunology graduate program who is now a postdoctoral fellow in Dr. Zhou’s lab. Their focus is enhancing CAR-T therapy – a powerful weapon in immunotherapy that engineers patients’ T cells to fight cancer. Their work aims to improve the durability and effectiveness of CAR-T treatments, especially for solid tumors, by modifying a particular protein, STAT5, to boost T cell survival and function.
This effort highlights, again, the kind of forward-looking science and mentorship that define our medical school. It also reflects the instrumental support of the Georgia Research Alliance (GRA), whose Innovation & Entrepreneurship program provides early-stage funding and guidance to help discoveries move from the lab to the clinic. It goes without saying that MCG is shaped by the people who lead it – those who train and inspire the next generation and work tirelessly to advance medicine and science. Congratulations to you all.
Annual Raft Debate is tonight
I wanted to take the chance today to remind you that tonight marks the annual return of one of MCG’s most entertaining traditions – the annual Raft Debate. Started in 2003 by our own Dr. Paul Dainer and 2005 graduate Dr. Elizabeth Holt, this lively event challenges our students to decide which of three physician specialists – surgery, internal medicine, or psychiatry – should be saved aboard a sinking ship, with only one spot on the raft. Representing their specialties are Dr. Steven Colquhoun (surgery), Dr. Melissa Sparks (internal medicine), and Dr. Baris Olten (psychiatry), with Dr. Melinda Johnson, from our Department of Cellular Biology and Anatomy, serving as the devil’s advocate. I’m excited and honored to serve as this year’s moderator. This is truly a team effort every year. Tonight’s festivities have been coordinated by our second-year students Pierce Bagby and Adrian Bozocea, and is generously supported by the MCG Alumni Association each year. The Raft Debate is a chance for our medical students to think critically about the future of medicine while enjoying a night of spirited argument and some good humor. Doors open at the Harrison Commons at 5:30.
I’m looking forward to a great evening with our students, faculty, and alumni.
Class of 2029 White Coat Ceremony is tomorrow
This weekend, I also invite you to join us in officially welcoming the Medical College of Georgia Class of 2029 into our profession. While these remarkable students began their medical school journey in July, the White Coat Ceremony marks their symbolic entry into the world of medicine. It’s a moment of pride, purpose, and promise.
The white coat they will don is more than a coat. It represents the trust society places in physicians, the responsibility to serve with compassion and integrity, and the lifelong commitment to learning and healing. I have no doubt that our students will wear it with honor. We should also recognize that none of them arrived here alone. They are the culmination of years of dedication – their own and that of the families, friends, teachers, and mentors who supported them through grade school, college, and beyond. This weekend is surely a celebration of that collective effort.
And to our amazing MCG faculty, your presence at this ceremony is truly meaningful. You are not only their educators but the kind of physicians they undoubtedly aspire to be. Thank you for showing up for them every day. I hope to see you there as we celebrate the beginning of these students’ journeys into the most sacred of professions. The ceremony begins at 2 tomorrow at the Bell Auditorium. If you can’t be there in person, please join the livestream here.
My best to you always,
David C. Hess, MD
Dean, Medical College of Georgia
Upcoming Events
October 24 – MCG Raft Debate, 6 pm, J. Harold Harrison, MD Education Commons
October 25 – MCG White Coat Ceremony, 2 pm, William B. Bell Auditorium
November 13 – MCG Investiture Ceremony, 5 pm, Natalie and Lansing B. Lee Jr. Auditorium
November 14 – Body Donor Memorial Service, 1 pm, Natalie and Lansing B. Lee Jr. Auditorium
November 17 – MCG Savannah Community Research Conference, 9 am, MCG Savannah Georgia Southern Armstrong Campus
November 21 – MCG Faculty Senate Meeting, noon, Natalie and Lansing B. Lee Jr. Auditorium
